By JOHN DELLACONTRADA

The Bailey Avenue Business Association, under the leadership of
new president Abraham Cissé, is partnering with UB to assist
businesses along a four–mile stretch of Bailey Avenue near
the South Campus and extending further into the city.

The association’s goal is to create a thriving Bailey
Avenue business district, similar to what’s been achieved on
Elmwood and Hertel avenues, says Cissé, who owns ABCIS
Technology Services at 3163 Bailey Ave. “Everybody tells me
how vibrant Bailey used to be,” he says. “We want to
bring back that vibrancy.

“UB has the resources to help,” he adds. “The
university is an important part of life on Bailey.”

As part of this effort, the UB School of Management's Center for
Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) will offer Bailey Avenue business
owners a new program to help them be successful. The free program
is funded by a $17,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation, a
charitable organization funded by subsidiaries of Allstate
Insurance Corporation. Allstate has partnered with the CEL and the
UB Center for Urban Studies for several years to offer programming
for minority and women entrepreneurs.

The Bailey Avenue program will begin early next year and will be
held in a yet-to-be-determined community space on the avenue, says
CEL Executive Director Thomas Ulbrich. Participants will learn best
practices in business planning, operation and growth. They will be
provided with a mentor and learn how to access existing resources
for business development.

“We are tailoring the program to the needs of Bailey
Avenue businesspeople and we are reaching out directly to
them,” Ulbrich says. “Usually, we offer this type of
programming on campus only and open it up to business owners
throughout the region.”

The Bailey Avenue Business Association hopes to partner with UB
on additional programming, Cissé says, and is working with
the city of Buffalo to develop collaborative efforts to improve
streetscape and infrastructure within the Bailey Avenue
district.

There are between 150 and 180 businesses within the district,
estimates Cissé, who recently purchased the former Uptown
Theater on Bailey.

“I want to reignite their interest in the association by
partnering with UB, the city and other partners and stakeholders to
offer incentives to join,” he says. “Bailey has a lot
of potential, but there are problems, too, which we need to
overcome by working together.”

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